Chapter 1

I had been toying with this idea for a while. I had written a response to the 100 word mirror of Erised challenge and wanted to write a full story. I hope you like this.

These characters are owned by JKR, I'm just toying with them.

The Long Wait

by: ancientgirl

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger had been working at the Dover University of Witchcraft, cataloging many of its old books and scrolls, for the last 6 months. She had graduated with honors the year before and took six months off to travel and rest. When she was offered a job at the university after her return from France, Hermione immediately accepted. Living at home would have been nice for a while, but she wanted to move out and go on with her life as a young adult.

Hermione had majored in Transfiguration and in Potions, and managed to get her degree in both. As she began her job she thought she would love being surrounded by so much education and history. However, much to her dismay, she found out quite quickly that it was insanely boring. For now though it was steady money and it was better than nothing. On Friday evening, after a long week of cataloging, she arrived at her flat and found an owl waiting for her outside her bedroom window.

She opened the window to allow the owl inside and immediately put out a small cup with water and a plate with a few pieces of bacon, which she always had handy. She then untied the small scroll from his leg and sat on her bed to read it:

Dear Miss. Granger:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft

Hermione was elated. She had so often dreamed of going back to the one place where she always felt she belonged, the one place she truly felt at home in. She gave the owl more bits of bacon and water and sat at her desk to write her response:

Dear Headmaster Dumbledore:

Hermione Granger

She smiled, then tied the note to the owl and it immediately flew away. She sat back in her chair and began to make her plans. Hermione would have to tell her parents of course, and then Harry and Ron. She knew they were still in their Auror training, and were for the moment, in a secluded part of England going through secret training missions. She would write them anyway and just have the note delivered to their apartment so they could read it upon their return.

After she sent off her note to Harry and Ron, she began to make a list of all the things that needed to make the trip to Hogwarts with her. If she was going to be living at Hogwarts she would no longer need her flat and most of what was in it. Deciding not to leave anything to the last minute, Hermione began to designate what was to be kept and what was to be given or throw away.

Hermione sat happily on the floor, packing some books and other smaller objects, when she came to a sudden realization. She was going to live at Hogwarts! That meant she was going to be living under the same roof as him, work at the same place, eat at the same table. They were going to be colleagues! How was she going to function around him without making him suspicious? She laughed and shook her head. He hated her so much, chances were he would not give her a second look anyway. He would never know, could never even imagine how she felt about him. Anyway, why would he even care?

No, there was no way Professor Severus Snape would ever give a rat’s rump that she was in love with him even if he did know.

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This story is finished. I'm reposting it here so no worries about having to wait long for updates.